Improvement in railroad-car brakes



2 Sheets-Sheet I.

Y J. 0; G-OVB. Railroad Gar Brake.- No. 113,290. PatentedApril 4, 1871.

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' 2 Sheets-Sheet J. U. GOVE.

Railroad Gar Brake-, No. 113,290. Patented April 4, 1871.

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To all whomit may concern: a

bers, E E, figQjl, the lower ends of which are pivoted clamps, is such that its shorter arm is in contact with attached to a'sway-bar, K, 'fig. 3, by means of a rod,

JOHlN O. GOVE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

Letters Patent No. 113,290, dated April 4,1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILROAD-CAR BRAKES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the samo.,

' Be 'itknown that 1, JOHN C. GOVE, of Cleveland, in the. county'of Guyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inv Railroad-Gar Brakes, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car-truck, to which the brake is attached.

Figure 2 is an end view of the truck and brake.

Figure? is a plan view.

Figure 4 is a view of the under side.

Like letters of reference refer to likeparts in the different views. r

The nature of this invention relates to a brake for street-railroad cars. The object thereof is to obtain an immediate. stopping of the car, when desired, by the use of lever-clamps embracing a smooth collar or wheel secured to the middle of the axles, said clamps being actuated by a lever operated by an arrangement of ,rods and asway-bar, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawing, fig. 1, A A representthe wheels of the car, of which B is the platform, and O, figs. 2 and 3,theaxles."" J v 'In the middle'of the axle is secured, in a permanent' manner, a drum, D, fig. 1, having a plain peripheral surface.

Saiddrum is embraced by a pair of clamps or rubin the stays F depending from the axle, to which they are attached by the boxes Gr.

The upper ends of the clamps are secured to each other by a'pair of rods,H, which, together with the cross-pieces 1, form a kind of yoke, whereby the clamps or the two sections thereof are held in close relation to and around the drum.

To the inner end of said rods is pivoted a lever, J, fig. 1, the position of which, in its relation to the the upper end of one member of. the clamp, as shown in the drawing, whereas the lower end of the lever is L, whereby it is'operated, as will presently be shown. A like arrangement of a drum, clamps, and lever is attached to each axle in the same way, and in the same manner connected to the sway-bar.

The two clamps which constitute the brake are operated at once upon the two drums which they embrace.

. The two brakes are connected to each other by the links M, which also serve as a support for the standard N, to which the sway-bar is pivotedfor operating the brakes in the manner as follows:

The rod 0, fig. 1, attached to the extreme end of the sway-bar, reaches forward to the end of the car, where it is secured to the upright shaft and handwheel usually employed for operating the brakes. Now, on drawing the 'rod forward in direction of the arrow, thesway-bay'wil-l be so actuated as to draw upon the lower end of the levers J, therebypressing their upper or short arm powerfully against the upper end of the members E of the clamps, which will force the end of the clamp E against the faceof the drum, and at the same time, acting as a lever, draw the member E of the clamp against the opposite side of the drum,'thereby'powerfully embracing the drums between the two members of each of .the clampsnvhich will arrest the revolution of the axles and stop the carforce exerted upon the sway-bar, which will causea reverse movement of the bar and consequent reaction' of the clamps upon the drums, thereby allowing the axles freedom to run and the car to move forward. 1 v

This arrangement of leversfor operating the clamps upon the drums which they embraceis such that but little power is required for actuating them, rendering the application of the brakes easy and immediate, so that. the car can be stopped at,once, with but little effort on the part of the brakeman. l

The position of the brakebeing midway between tl1e'truckwl1ee1s, it is not liable to be obstructed by dirt from the road, asbiakes applied to the car-wheels sometimes are; hence its application is morecertain. and effective. I

- Claims.

What I claim as my. improvement, and desire tosecure by' Letters Patent, is-.-

1. The clamps E E, pivoted below the axle, in combination with the drum D, levels J, and axle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The brake, consisting of the drum 1), clamps E E, and levers J, suspended upon the axles by means of boxes G, substantially as and for theipurpose set wind l dffioz. 

